Several projects already underway for new Microsoft system
Microsoft and industry partners are working towards a 2013 launch of the next generation Xbox, Develop understands.
Multiple sources across the industry, from processor chip manufacturers to middleware firms, have told Develop they expect the console to be fully unveiled at E3 2013, months before its release. The collection of data points to a 2013 launch for the system across all main regions, though early 2014 remains a possibility.
Few in the games business expect Xbox Next to be in stores before the holiday side of 2013 – this Christmas and the next will likely see Microsoft marketing software for Xbox 360, Windows Phone and its Kinect motion controller.
Microsoft has declined to comment.
In further developments:
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* Develop understands that Lionhead is working on a project internally named ‘Fable Next’, which will launch on the new console.
* Epic Games’ new Unreal Engine would likely be available sooner than the 2014 date recently given by studio founder Tim Sweeney.
* One source still insists that an EA studio already has rudimentary Xbox console technology on desks. EA has flatly denied the claim.
Further data on the so-called ‘Xbox Next’ project comes amid new information showing that preliminary work on PlayStation 4 games is underway.
The Xbox 360 has sold more than 55 million units worldwide since its release in October 2005.
My first wish for XBox Next is for it to be able to play XBox 360 games.
They are not gonne annouch it at e3 2013 and then release a few months later. Microsoft always want to build a hype. So it will be more likely a E3 2012 annouchement to make that release time. Or it will be a release for end 2014 early 2015.
Hopefully it is backwards compatible. I also hope they don't do anything stupid like add facebook or twitter to the system. I'd also love to see it come standard with a 250 GB drive or a port for using an extternable usb drive of your own. Must also have wireless N built in.Hope it comes in both matte black and gloss black.Id like to see full on bluetooth connectivity and a web browser built in would be nice. Then I hope they redesign the cooling options and go to a higher temp solder on the gpu.
Agree with Fletch, those are all problems that plagued the current hardware. It would also be extremely spiffy if the new console was made compatible with existing Kinect hardware...and offered for sale in bundles without Kinect hardware.
Anyone hoping the new console won't be Twitter/Facebook integrated is fooling themselves. Microsoft generally fails at leading, and so to a large extent it is now mainly a follower. Twitter/Facebook is the meme that Twitter and Facebook tell us is the future, and companies like Microsoft eat that nonsense up like breakfast. What's the good of a new console if you can't shame your friends that don't have it by posting about how much fun you're having with it? Social media on the new console is a given, not a possibility. (For the record, I hate social media and its infiltration of everything. I'm just pointing out reality here.)
They just need to avoid that RROD crap and they will be good to go.
first, the next xbox was supposed to get announced in 2012, now 2013... i don't believe anything until the actually announcement is being made (or a planned announcement confirmed by MS)
The xbox 360 was officially announced on May 12, 2005 and was released on and was released on November 22, 2005. So a six month window between launch and release of the new system is not impossible.
Microsoft is anything but a follower, if they integrated FB/twitter it was because THEY thought it was the future not because some one else told them it was. Microsoft has been doing nothing but innovating this gen, with the PS3 following in anything it does, always 5 steps behind.
If it is able to play 360 games I absolutely don't want to have a slot loader in it. If anyone has experience with cd's or dvd's is that slot loaders are great for scratching the crap out of your discs and by the time these systems come out 360 games will be so old that they will be nearly impossible to replace for a reasonable cost.
Sure M$ did release the Xbox 360 6 months after it's announcement, but it suffered HUGE hardware failure! It took them 4 {I think) models to get it right! So yeah, I'm sure M$ isn't that reckless now, both Microsoft and Sony should NOT rush the development of the next gen consoles! Making them as flawlessly as they can will benefit them in the long run.
John says "My first wish for XBox Next is for it to be able to play XBox 360 games."
I say : my first wish is to be able to hear the game over the sound of the console ! Please MS, Nintendo can do it, Sony can do it, why can't you ?
@Fletch ...you pretty much just described the PS3 :P
it'll most likely get a 2013 announcement and a early - mid 2014 release
now ive just gotta pick... PS4 or Xbox "Next" -_-"
The xbox should have no disk drive, only a portable one that plays blu rays and dvd's and you connect it via USB, this would make the console smaller, quieter and cooler. It would also make way for the future and they could sell xbox games with a memory stick inside that you can transfer the game over to your xbox or you could keep it on the memory stick and play it on any Xbox Next console.
They could also do with a 2TB+ HDD with the extra space they make from the lack of disk drive. This would be a great console. You could also use the portable disk drive to play previous original xbox and xbox 360 games on your Xbox Next.
Make the xbox controllers d-pad slightly different and remove the battery pack. Make the guide button touch sensitive and put a camera on it for video chat.
Run the xbox dashboard on a highly modified version of windows 8.
They are all my wishes for the Xbox Next and would totally beat the PS4 if they included all of these.
